Closing and locking mechanism for doors



Aug-1,1944 c. EARTHUR v O l 2,355,25.

CLOSING AND LOCKING MECHANISM-FOR DOORS L Jl uNvEN-roR har/es Ar/77m" Aug- 1, 1944- c. E. ARTHUR 2,355,025

` l CLOSING AND LOCKING MECHANISM FOR DOORS Filed March 29, 1941 3 Shets-Sheet 2 /Z 4Z 4/ f6 J9 f5 .www

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/09 l l/ I g/Z Z I Aug 1, 1944. c. E. ARTHUR i 2,355,025 CLOSING AND LOCKING MECHANISM FOR' DOORS l Filed March 29, 1941 s sheets-sheet 3 INVENTOR Char/e5 f. Ar//Vz/f" Patented Aug. 1, 1944 UNITED OFFICE j CLOSING -AND LOCKING MECHANISM FOR DOORS Charles E. Arthur, Napa, Calif.

Application March 29, 1941, Serial No.-385,871

7 Claims.

The invention relates to a door closing and locking mechanism of thel type Widely used inthe case of ship doors and closuresand the like and other constructions'where a high degree of sealing is required. Such a door closure-mechanism is disclosed and claimed in my copending application VSerial No. 262,768, filed March 18, 1939, which has become Patent No. 2,295,324, dated September 8, 1942, of which the present application is a continuation-impart.

An object of the present invention is kto provide a door closure mechanism'of the character describedY which will combine the desirable characteristics of speed and ease of operation, strength and integrity ofthe sealfand simplicity, dependability and compactness of construction, all toran improved degree over closing and locking mechanisms heretofore available, and as will be more particularly described in connection with the mechanism of the Vfollowing.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with theioregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specication. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a'front elevation of ar door closing and locking mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 isa cross sectional view-of-a part of the door and closing mechanism therefor, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1.

VFigure 3 is a side elevation of the part of the door and closing mechanism illustrated in Figure: 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectionalview of a part of Figure 8 is an enlarged front elevatonof the operating handle and attached mechanism illustrated in Figure l.

Figure- 9` is a cross sectional view of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 8 and-taken substantially on the plane of line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 1'0 is a cross sectional Viewu of vthe'mech-V anism illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 taken lat right angles'to'the 'plane of Figure 9, and show-vV ing the door positioned slightly from closed position.

The closingand locking mechanism of thepres ent' invention isillustrated in the accompany-ing drawings in conjunctionl with a door |12 and-a frame y|`3 the particular shape and form of thedoor'here illustratedlbeing that commonly used in Aship construction wherein the door is-of elongated vertical 'dimension )having opposite f longitudinal sides I4 and i6, vlower'and upper ends-l1y and laand rounded end corners 2|, 22, 23, and' 24. Thev doorframe'is constructedof a-shape generally conforming to the outline of the door and including avertical side 2li adjacent the doorside I4, a vertical side 21 adjacentthe door side I6 and bottom and top ends 28 and 29-ad jacent the corresponding sides of the door,'and rounded corners 3|, 32,33 and 34- engaged by the door rounded corners 2I--24. As will be best seen lfrom Figures-2, 6 and 7,the frameis providedV completely around andiacingA the door with an annularchannel 36v whichcarres acompressible gasket 31 which may be vmade of rubber or the like. Surrounding theperiphery of thedoor andl projecting therefromat substantially right'angles to the plane of the door and inthe direction of the frame channel 36 is anvannular flange 38 which engages and penetrates into the body ofthegasket` 3T in locking the door in closed position to thereby provide a. seal between the door and the frame.l Preferably, the flange 38 y is formed as one side of an angle iron 39 exthe mechanism taken substantially on the plane of line 4-4 of Figure. 3.

Figure 5 isa crosszsectional view of the portion illustrated in Figure 4 and taken on a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of Figure 4 as indicatedfby line.5-5` in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional View simlarto Figure 2 but showing only a part of the mechanismillustrated incFigure 2 as the same appears in open position.

Figure 7 is across sectional view of the mechanism similar to Figure 6 Vbut showing 'the parts illustrated moved towardsav closed position.

tending around the door Vas an edge reenforcement therefor, and to the other side4l of which is secured the main door panel VV42,. The dooris pivotall'y attached to the frame ybyA means-of hinges V43, and Memounted at the rsides I4 and-*26 of the doorfand frame and these hinges are preferably of-a moreor less standard construction permitting a limited movement of the ldoorto and from the frame as well as rotatably carrying the door whereb-ythe door may beswungto4 a'd'- jacent its lclosed position and then-movedg-directly against-the frame without vrotation `in the final closingstageof the movement to therebypermit a direct end-on movement of the 1iange38-against the gasket 31 without producing a rotational distortion of the gasket. The closing and locking mechanism includes as part thereof a plurality of dogs or locking members 46, 41, 48, 49, 50, 5|, 52, 53, 54 and 55 which are pivotally supported on the door in circumferentially spaced position around the door periphery, and arranged in pairs as follows: Members 46 and 41 at the upper corners 22 and 2.3 of the door; horizontally aligned pairs of members.- '481 and 55, 49 and 54; 50 and 53 along the'vertioal sides |4 and I6 ofthe door; and members 5| and 52 at'the lower corners 24 and 2| of the door.

The construction of each of the members46--55 is the same and accordingly a description of one of these members, 48, as shown in detail in Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7, will suce. will presently appear, I prefer toform these members in the shape of a C clamp and to pivotally attach one end 56 thereof to the edge part of the door-,and preferably to the reenforcing angle iron 395m suchla position that the'opposite end 51 of the member maybe swung out and around 4the adjacent side of the frame in a position on a line through the pivotal axisatsubstantially right angles tothe. plane of the door. In this manner the lockingmember is broughtto a dead-center position in the locked closed position of the door Aand ,all stress upon the Amoving mechanism for. the memberis eliminatedrand relieved in the locked position. As will be seen from the drawings, the C. clamp 48 may be formed of two flat plates and a pivot pin 58 is secured to and extends transversely through the end 56 and is journaled in a bearing opening 59fin a bearing block 67| fastenedin the angle iron corner. Preferably theopening 59 is-elongated in the direction of -the frame and a set-screw 62 iscarried bythe block and bears against` the pinr58 for adjusting ther-,position of the pin in the opening and therebyl controlling the positionof-the pivotal axis of the members relative to the frame to enable proper adjustment of the mechanism with wear. As Will' be V,seen .from the drawings, the construction is suchas to arrange the pivotal axis of the c clamp member 48 parallel to theA plane of the door and to the flange 38 andthe adjacent frame `side whereby the member 48 will swing about its pivotal axis in Va'plane perpendicular to--the frame side 21, Mountedltransversely through the opposite end 51 ofthe member and parallel to the pin 58 ,is a pin 83 whichprlojeots from the opposite sides, of .the member and pivotally carries thereat sides 64and 66 of a yokelgRollers 68 and 69 and 10. are journaled on the pin 6 3 between and atV Qthe-outer sides of the yoke arms 64 and 66 andthese rollers are held in place by end `abutments 1| and 1.2 .on the pin, here in the form of an enlarged head and nut. The provision of a roller Yat the outer end of the locking member is of lconsiderable importance in obtaining an increase in mechanicall advantage as the memberV moves to a locked position and in reducing fric-V tion.v As will be best seen from Figure V'7,Ythe rollers in moving towards a locked position rst engage the leading corner 13 of the frame side andas the member swings to a closed position, the .rollers bear forcibly against androllwover the contiguous surface 14 of the frame side until the axis ofv .the rollers'reach a dead-center position relative tov theiaxis .of rotation of the member, las shown in dotted lines in Figure 7. v Preferably the meohanisn1' isV adjusted so that when the ange '/iirst engagesthe gasket 31, and the looking For purposes as radius line 1.6.

rollers will engage the corner 13 of the frame side at a point on the circumference of the .rollers within the quadrant of the rollers, as viewed in Figure 7, in advance of the radius of rotation of the member, which radius is indicated by the dash line 1,6 in Figure 7. In this manner as the member 48, as viewed in Figure 7, is pushed in a counter-clockwise direction,'the rollers in rolling across the corner 13 and upon the en d surface 14 will draw the frame and door together Yand cause a penetration of the flange into the gasket. As will be understood in the course of this locking movement of the rollers, the line of force of the `rollers against the frame, indicated in Figure '1 by line 11, rotates about the axis of rotation of the rollers until the same coincides with the The force system here operable may thus be indicated by lines 16 and 11 and as will be clear, the mechanical advantage provided by the force system in moving to a locked position increases during such movement and finally reaches a very large magnitude which theoretically is infinity. This gain of mechanical advantage is of great importance in View of the large magnitude of force required to sink the flange into' the compressible gasket to a requisite distance, usually in the order of one-eighth of an inch.

The members 46-55 are adapted to swing from a locked position overlying the frame, as described above and as illustrated in Figure 2, to a retractedposition, as illustrated in Figure 6, conned Y entirelyA within the transverse dimensions ofthe door, so that upon opening the door,rthese members willmove through the door opening with ampleclearance.relative to the .frame sides and withoutV .danger of striking the frame sides. Means for l.moving the locking members between the two positions aforesaid here include in the case of the horizontally aligned side members 48 and 55, 49 and 54, and 50 and 53, a plurality of toggle memberllftswung towards a closed position, the,

link members '|8, 19, 8|, 82, 83 and 84 which are pivotallyv connected at their outer ends 86, 81, 88, 89, 98, and 9| to the yoke member 61 above described, and at their inner ends 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 91 to an elongated actuator bar 98 supported for verticalV endwise reciprocation along the longitudinal center of the door in a manner whereby the companion links 18 and 19, 8| and 82, 83 and 84, are moved into and from an aligned position as shown in Figure 1 producing a rocking of the locking membersu46-T55 to and from their locked position. As vv villbe best seen from Figures 1, 2 and 3, the outer ends 86-191 of the links are pivoted VVto the yoke members 61, asby means of pins 99, about axesdisposed at Yright angles to the axis ofv rotation of thellocking members and substan-r tially perpendicular to the plane of the door so that the link ends are pivotally attached to the locking members about -a set of right angularly disposed axes in a universal manner, whereby the links while moving, in a plane parallel to the plane of the doorfare capable of swinging the locking members in planes at right angles thereto. ;This feature ofV constructionI enables a compact positioning.. ofr the toggle links adjacent the faceofthedoor. I

The reciprocating .centerimember 98 aforementioned, here consistsof a pair of elongatedflat stripsllll and |02 of metal, see Figures 2, 4 and 5, which are held in spaced apart position adjacent the front of the door by the pivoting of the inner ends .of the link members thereto. As will beseen in FigureV 2, the link members are of circular formin cross section and threaded at their tical reciprocation on the face of the door by a.

series of vertically,` spaced supporting units |01, |03, v|053 which in each instance, see Figures 3, 4 and 5, includes a pair of'horizontally set rollers |.I I and vI I2 which engage the opposite longitudinal sides of the strips and which are carried be` tween end plates II3 and |,I4 in 'spaced relation to the center part of the door panel 42. Also the units |01, |08, |09 may be positioned ashore shown to engage and serve as stops for the pivoted sections |03, |04 of the inside link ends at the end of the upper movement of the bar into a position substantially aligning the pairs of linkv members -afore-described.

By reason of the foregoing toggle construction, the mechanical advantage of force transmission increases as the bar 98 moves upwardly towards a locking position and towards an aligned position of the pairs of link members and reaches a very great magnitude towards the end of the locking stroke when the links move into alignment. This increase in mechanical advantage again amplied by the increase of mechanical advantage by the locking members as above described, produces an over-all gain of mechanical advantage which substantially exactly offsets the increased resistance to compression vof the rubber gasket around-the door as the door is moved to a locked` position, whereby the manually applied force remains substantially constant throughout the locking operation.

In the case of the locking members 4S and 41, and 5I and 52, disposed at the upper and lower corners of the door, a similar toggle operating mechanism is used whereby a similar increase in mechanical advantage is obtained towards the end of the lockin-g movement. As here shown, the `upper'locking members 4B and 41 'are `connected 'to the upper end IIS of the bar 98 by means of a pair of bell cranks ||1 and I|8 pivotally mounted onthe door at equal distances on opposite sides of the bar 98' and having one end ||9 and |2| thereof pivotally and slidably connected to the end I|B^of the bar. tion is here effected by means of a pivot pin |22 carried by the bar end and engaging in elongated slots |23 and |24 in the ends IIS and |2| of the bell cranks. The opposite ends |26 and |21 of the bell cranks are pivoted to toggle links |28 and |29 which are in turn pivotally connect- This conneced to the locking members 4G and 41 in the same manner as the connection of the toggle links and locking members above described. The construction is such that the arms` I26Yand |21 of the bell cranks move into alignment with-the toggle links |28 and |29 in the locked position of the mem-` bers 45 and 41 whereby inl approaching this aligned position, mechanical advantage is gained. It will further be noted that the side thrust on each of the bell cranks iseXactlyY offset and sup-- portedl by-the side thrust of the other bell crank and-hence the side thrust is balancedand only a straight longitudinalstress on the bar is involved.

The` operating` connection for the` lower corner,

members .5 Iand .52. isi-,he same as` thatv described- Meansfor.- reciprocating the V-baril here con-v sists of a manuallyoperated handle orl lever |3I pivoted tothe door along the longitudinal center thereof and preferably somewhat below the horizontal center thereof. In accordance withA the present construction, the operating lever ISI is operatively connected to the bar 98 in such a' manner that the displacement of the bar for each degree of rotation of the lever is substantially" constant throughout the full operating movement of thesemembers and the movement of the lever is coniined` to'substantially 180 of rotation' to produce a full operating movement of the bar., As will be -best seen in Figures l, 8 and 9, the le-i ver1|3| is fastened for rotation with a shaft |32 here journaled in bearing sleeves |33 supported in a tubular part |34 welded or otherwise se cured to the door-panel 'The strips |0| and I2f comprising the bar 9S` are enlarged' widthwi'se at and adjacent to the *lever shaft i132 and are provided with aligned elongated openings |36 which surround the shaft and permit longitudinal reciprocationV of the bar relative to the shaft;

SecuredV to andk extending from the vshaft |32 is a curvedlarm |31 which is formed with a centrally arranged cam guide Vslot |38 lwhich slidably receives a roller |39 pinned'for'rotation to and be-l tween the strips IGI and |s2,`whereby upon rotation ofthe shaft and swinging of the Varm |31, the rolle`r |39 will be displaced in the cam slot |33 to longitudinally'displace the bar.` As an important feature of th'epresent construction, the camA slot is of such shape that a full operating movement of the bar 93 is effected during rotation of the lever |3I through substantially 180 and the ratio of `lever to bar movement remains sub`= stantially constant throughtout this operating movement. l f

In accordance with the present construction, sulicient mechanical advantage is obtained in the force and movement transmission connecting the lever and the locking members so as vto make possible the locking of the door through arela" tively. short movement of Ythe operating lever, here asaforementioned in the order ofkjlSO".

This Ifeature makesrpcssible Van extremelyV rapidv and easy opening andl vclosing of the door which is -of great importance in ship door construction, where in many instances and in ca`se of emergency the speed and ease of opening Aand closing the door is a matter of life or death. In open-v ingl the door, the release of compression of the rubber gasket materially assists in the swinging of the dogs away from a locked position and startingr the initial opening movement of the door.: `VSo rapid is the opening operation of the presentmechanism that a user oftheV same may approach and vopen the door and walk through'` the door opening without changing his pace.

As to the strength of the door equipped with the present mechanism and the integrity of thev seal. obtained, it may be pointed out that vthe locking members by reason of their mounting upon. the reenforcing angle iron around-,therdoor and? a vsmooth Aandby reason of their movement to a 'self-locking po-" tracted to within the confines of the door so as to prevent a jamming of these members against the door frame upon closing of the door. As will be understood, this is particularly important inthe case of the dogs mounted at the hinged' side of the door. In the present construction it will be noted that the locking members are moved toV a retracted position in the normal gravitated position of the bar 98 and consequently,'when the mechanism is moved to open position, the weight ofthe several parts tends to hold the parts in open po-V sition and in this manner the tendency of the parts to vibrate or jar into a closed position is completely eliminated. In order, however, to in addition prevent manual operation of the mechanism to swing the locking members from the edge of the door in the openposition of the door, I provide a locking means for the controlV mechanism which is operative in the open position of the door to positively prevent the lever I3| from being rotated from its open position when the door is open. This means here consists of a slide member |4| reciprocally mounted on the door for movement at right angles to the frame side 26'and connected to a bell crank detent |42 which engages in a slot |43 in the operating arm |31 attached to the lever shaft. The member |4| is normally resiliently urged, by means of a helicalA spring |44 mounted thereon to position the de,- tent to engage in the slot |43 in the open position of the lever, as illustrated in Figure 8, to thereby hold the lever against movement. The opposite.

end I 46 of the slide member |4| is normally pressed by spring |44 to overhang the edge I4 of the door whereby the end |46 is engaged with and displaced by the adjacent side 26 of the frame, as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, in closing the door. DisplacementV of the member |4| rotates the detent |42 out of its engaged position with the arm |31, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8, so as to thereby release the operating mechanism for manual operation.

Preferably, the levershaft |32 is extended comy pletely through the door panel-42, see Figures 9 and 10, for connection of an operating lever |41 to the shaft at the opposite side of the door.

One of the features of the'present centrally arranged operating mechanism is itspadaptability forluse with either left or right hand opening doors. In the construction shown in the drawings, the mechanism is adapted for a door hinged along its left side. In order to change the mechanism to a right hand opening door, itis only necessary to -invert the lever arm |31 and to change` the position of the roller |39 to the opposite side of the opening |36 and onto a bearing pin opening |48 positioned thereat. With this i sides ofsaid framev in the closed position of the door, comprising, a plurality of members pivoted adjacent onexend thereof to said door at 4opposite sides thereof along parallel axes parallel to the plane-of the door and movable in arcs in a common plane perpendicular to the'plane of saiddoor and perpendicular to said frame sides so as to swing the opposite outer ends of said members to and from said frame sides, rollers carried by said outer ends of said members for engagement with said frame sides, the spacing between said rollers and the pivotal axes of said members and the location of said axes relative to said frame sides being such as to cause said rollers to roll over and to bear forcibly against said frame sides ;in the closed position of the door to draw said door and portions and frame sides together upon movement of said rollers to positions on lines through'said pivotal axes perpendicular to the plane of the door whereby said members will be self-locking in said positions, and manually operative means for swinging said members to and from their last named positions.

2. A closing and locking mechanism for a door and a frame therefor wherein opposite peripheral -portions of the door overlie and engage opposite sides of said frame in the closed position of the door, comprising, a plurality of members pivoted adjacent one end thereof to said door at opposite sides thereof along parallel axes parallel to the plane of the door and movable in arcs in a common plane perpendicular to the plane of said door and perpendicular to said frame sides so as to swing the opposite outer ends of said members to and from said frame sides, rollers carried by said louter ends of said members for engagement with said Yframe sides, the spacing between said rollers and the'pivotal axes of said members and the location of said axes relative to said frame sides being such as to cause said rollers to roll over and to bear forcibly against said frame sides in the closed position of the door to draw said door and portions and frame sides together upon movement of said rollers to positions on lines through said pivotal axes perpendicular to the plane of the door whereby said members will be Vself-locking in said positions, toggle links pivoted change, the operating lever will move through the Y same length of movement as here indicated 'forl a right hand opening door. In this connection it will be Vnoted that I have arranged the lever soV to said members adjacent said rollers and pivoted together adjacent the center of the door forming a toggle knee thereat, and manually operative means for displacing said knee to and fromvan aligned position of said links to corre-r spondingly displace said members to and from said frame sides, said links and members being attached and supported to position said links in their aligned position at substantially right angles to the aforesaid lines through said rollers and member axes.

- 3.Y A closing and locking mechanism for a door and frame therefore wherein opposite peripheral :portions of said door overlie opposite sides of said frame in a closed position of-saidA door, comprising, a plurality of C shaped clamping members pivotally attached'adjacent one end thereof enable the application of considerable and mostV Y convenient ,bodyA leverage tothe handle when operating the same eithergin the locking'or unlocking operation. i Y

to'said door at the overlying peripheral portions thereof for swinging to and from said frame sides, rollers mounted onVv the other ends of said members and adapted to roll over and forcibly bear ,against said frame sides, said members being movable to a selfelocking'position wherein the lclamping forcelapplied by said members is parallel to the force of contact between said door portions and frame sides, and manually operative means for moving said members to and from said positions.

4. A door closing and locking mechanism for a door and frame therefor wherein said door is provided with a ange about the periphery thereof at substantially right angles to the plane of the door and engageable with a sealing gasket carried by said frame, a plurality of substantially C shaped clamping members each pivotally secured adjacent one end thereof to said door adjacent to said flange along an axis parallel to the plane of said door and parallel to said flange for swinging of the opposite end of said member into and from engagement with the adjacent frame side, a roller carried on said second named end of said member adapted to roll upon and forcibly bear against said frame side in the closed positon of the door to draw said flange against said gasket, the length of said members and the arrangement of the pivotal axes thereof relative to said flange and frame sides being such as to permit movement of said rollers on said frame sides to positions applying a clamping force to said frame sides on lines passing through said member axes perpendicular to the plane of said door and parallel to said flange whereby said members will be self-locking in said positions, and manually operative means for moving said members to and from said positions.

5. A closing and locking mechanism for an elongated door and frame therefor comprising, a plurality of members pivoted to said door adjacent the corners thereof along axes parallel to the plane of the door for movement of said members in planes perpendicular to said door plane to engage and disengage said frame, an elongated member reciprocally mounted along the longitudinal center of said door, a lever for each of said rst members pivoted to said door intermediate its ends 'and pivotally and slidably connected to an end of said second named member, links pivotally connected adjacent one end thereof to the other end of said levers and universally connected adjacent their opposite ends to said rst members to produce oscillation of saidy first members about their `axes upon longitudinal reciprocation of said second member, and a manually operated means carried by said door and operatively connected to said second member for reciprocating the same.

6. In a quick-opening water-tight door closure mechanism, the combination with a hinged door and frame having overlapping peripheral portions contacting an annular compressible sealing gasket carried by one of said portions and arranged to be engaged by the other portion, a mounting point on said door and a bearing surface on said frame positioned on a line parallel to the line force between said overlapping peripheral portions, a locking member pivoted to said other portion at said mounting point along an axis parallel to the plane of the door 4and said peripheral portions to swing in an arc perpendicular to said plane and portions, and a roller carried by said member for rotation about an axis parallel to said member axis and engageable with said bearing surface and rollable thereover to a position wherein the point of contact of the roller periphery with said surface is on a line substantially intersecting the point of interengagement of said overlapping portions.

"1. In a quick-opening water-tight door closure mechanism for a door and frame having overlapping peripheral portions and adapted to be closed and sealed by `a force perpendicular to said portions, a gasket carried by said frame at said overlapping portion, a member pivoted at one end to said door portion to swing in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said door and being bowed centrally away from the adjacent overlapping fra-me portion to permit positioning of the other end of said member in opposed position to the side of Said frame Opposite to said door and in a dead center position with respect to the pivotal axis of said member, and a roller carried by said second named end of said member for rotation about an axis parallel to said last named axis and adapted to bear forcibly against said frame surface and roll thereacross to said dead center position and with the line intersecting said axes substantially passing through the interengagement points of said overlapping portions.

CHARLES E. ARTHUR. 

